Pull chain and wall switch



Sept, 15, 1936. HALLETT 2,054,562

PULL CHAIN AND WALL SWITCH Filed Nov. 5, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet lEFL-.3523. m mmuluuuum mwapdl azzezz, BY

ATTORNEY 9 1936- H. HALLETT 2,054,502?

' PULL 0mm AND WALL SWITCH Filed Nov. 5, 1934 '2 Sheets-Sheet 2 L :s 0L-J6 lilmmimuulm 1 E,

floiiardlrazwz, BY

ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 15, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT, OFFICEApplication November 5, 1934. Serial N0. 751,858.

The invention relates to switches, particularly of the pull chain sockettype, but also of the wall type, for-effecting the cutting of! and onof' an electric light. g Pull chain socket switches are of coursefamiliar toeveryone and it is'wellknown that upon pulling the chain oncethe bulb is lit and that upon pulling it again the light isextinguished,

switches of this character embodying ratchet means operating always inthe same direction but acting to make and break the circuit to the lampto provide means forming part of or in association with such a switchwhich will delay the cutting off of the light when the chain is pulledto move .the switch to the o position, the advantage being that afterpulling the chain to extinguish the light the user will have a certainlength of time in which he may leave the room or other place where thelight is located and proceed to some other place without it beingnecessary to grope his way in darlmess.

S8 Broadly considered, the' invention contemplates the provision of anovel dash-pot arrangement associated with the switch mechanism for thepurpose of retarding or delaying the cutting oil! of the switch afterthe pull chain has been moved to the of! position. v

An important object of the invention is to provide a switch mechanism ofthis character which involves but comparatively little change from theconventional construction of devices of this'general class.

a An additional object is to provide a switch device having thesecharacteristics and which will be simple and inexpensive to manufacture,easy to assemble, positive in action, efllcient and durabie in service,and a general improvement in the To the attainment of the foregoing andother objects and advantages, the invention preferably f Figure 3 is avertical section through the dash-' 86 pct taken on the line 8-3 ofFigure 1,

of and carry a dielectric top member 25.

within the socket, the latter being shown in section, I

Figure 7 is a horizontal cross section taken on the line 1-1 of Figure6, 10

Figure 8' is a cross section taken on the line 8-8 of Fi e 6,

Figure 9 is a similar view taken on the line 99 of Figure 6,

Figure 10 is a detail perspective view showing the stationary portion ofthe switch and the movable connecting member separated,

Figure 11 is a detail perspective view of the ratchet for operating theconnecting member,

Figure 12 is a fragmentary detail view showing so the push-off means forcausing the connecting member to move into circuit breaking position,

Figure 13 is a fragmentary detail view illustrating the push-oi!mechanism,

Figures 14 and 15 are views taken at right angles to each other andillustrating the adaptation of the invention to a wall type of switch.

Referring more particularly to the drawings and especially Figures 1 to13 inclusive, the numeral l8 designates the shell of 'an electric light80 socket of the pull chain type. this shell having the usual removablecap I! andthe shell and the cap having the customary lining I8 and IQ ofinsulating material. The cap has the usual hushed tubular sleeve portion20 through which are brought the current carrying wires which,

are connected interiorly of the shell and bymeans of the usual screwswith upstanding metallic members 2| and 22, the former of which isconnected with the threaded metalsocket 23 depending from a porcelain orother dielectric base 24, and the latter of which is simply secured uponthe top of this base. The upstanding metallic members 2| and 22 aresecured to the underside All this is in accordance with the usualconstruction of devices of this general class. At its center the base24- has an upwardly projecting portion 26 which is stationary and ofinsulating material and which is formed with ratchet-tooth shaped steps21 and 28, the former of which are doe-d" and the latter of which arelive" in that disposed thereon are stationary metallic contacts 29 oneof which is connected with the metallic member 22 and the other of whichis connected 2 with the central terminal not shown, of the socket. Inaccordance with my invention the.

' ends of th contacts 29 overhang the steps 2'! and are downwardlyoflset to define ledges and abutment shoulders 3|, as most clearly shownin -member 25. This post is stationary and rotatable thereon is asegmental shaped disk 33 carrying at its peripheral portion a channelshaped member 34 having one end formed with a U- shaped extension oroutward projection 35 notched at 33 for engagement therein of theendmost head 37 of a bead chain 33 of ordinary construction which lieswithin and is guided by the channel member 34 and which is brought outthrough a tubular guide 39 located within an opening 40 in the shell is.At one side, interiorly of the shell, this guide is formed with a stoplug M for limiting swinging movement of the actuating segment 33 in onedirection when the chain 33 is pulled. Located beneath the segmentaloperating disk 33 is a ratchet disk 52 having upstanding tongues 43engaged within notches es in the disk 33 and having their upper endsupset or'pressed down so as to secure the ratchet disk rigidly withrespect to the actuating disk 33. This ratchet disk 32 has a pluralityof stamped-out teeth 45 which are deflected downwardly as very clearlyshown particularly in Figure 11.

Surrounding the post 32 is a coil spring 46 which abuts against theJinderside of the top member 25 and against the top of the actuatingdisk 33 for the purpose of urging the latter resiliently downwardly sothat the ratchet disk 42 will cooperate properly with a. connectingmember shown in detail in Figure 10 formed as a disk 41 rotatable uponthe post 32 and formed with radially extending teeth 48 engageable bythe ratchet teeth 45 on the ratchet disk 42. This disk 41 hasdiametrically extending arms 49 terminating in arcuate shoes 53 whichare movable over the steps 21 and metallic contacts 29 onthe steps 28 ofthe upward projection 26. It will be clear that when the shoes 50 are onthe dead steps 21 no current is supplied to the electric light bulb, notshown, which is screwed into the threaded socket 23, but that when theshoes 50 engage and bridge the contacts 29 on the steps 28 the circuitthrough such a lamp is completed. It is the usual construction that whenthe chain of a switch of this character is pulled once the rotation ofthe actuating disk 33 and ratchet disk 42 carried thereby will cause theteeth 45 to engage the teeth 48 and turn the connecting member 41 aquarter turn. One quarter turn brings the shoes 50 into bridgingrelation to the contacts 29 and when the chain has been pulled to effectthis and is let go the spring 46, which is a torsion spring as well as acompression spring will return the disk 33 to its original position, theteeth 45 on the disk 42 then riding idly in ratchet fashion over theteeth 38 so that the position of the member 41 will be unchanged untilthe chain is again pulled to rotate the member 41 another quarter turnto make the shoes 50 ride oil from the contacts 29 onto the dead" steps21, whereupon the circuit to the lamp will be broken. This is theordinary action. However, in my invention on account of the provision ofthe ledges 30 it will be seen that when the chain is pulled to turn oflthe light the trailing ends of the members 50 will ride of! from thecontacts 23'onto the ledges 30 in view of the fact that the operatingdisk 33 will strike against the stop 4| and prevent the member 33 frommoving a suflicient extent to cause the trailing ends of the members 50to ride off from the ledges 3i). It will therefore be seen that afterthe light has been turned on by one pull of the chain and the chainhasbeen.

pulled a second time to extinguish the light, the light willnevertheless remain energized as the connecting member 41 still bridgesthe contacts 29 owing to the engagement of the trailing ends ofthemembers 50 on the ledges 30 in abutting relation to the shoulders 3|.Advantage is taken of this fact in the further carrying out of theinvention.

In accordance with my new design of switch, I

provide an arm 5| pivoted on a post 52 rising from the base 25 and urgedinto the path of movement of the free end of the U-shaped member 35 ofthe channel 34 by means of a spring 53 extending through the post 52.and anchored to the'arm 5|. This arm 5! is mounted adjacent one of theledges 30 as clearly indicated in Figures '7 and 13, the arrangementbeing such that when the chain is pulled to extinguish the light and isthen let go the retrograde movement of the actuating disk 33 under. theinfluence of the torsion spring 46, and of course the correspondingmovement of the channel member 34 carried by the disk will cause thefree end of the U-shaped member 35 at the end of the channel to engageagainst the outer end of the arm 5! and rock the arm upon its pivot 52so that the inner end of the arm will engage against the trailing end ofthe contact shoe 50 and force it ofi from the ledge 30 so that it maysnap onto the dead steps 21, thereby breaking the circuit to the lamp aswill be understood.

As pointed out in the objects, the principal feature of the invention isthe provisionof means for retarding or delaying the cutting off of thelight. In order to accomplish this I provide in association with theother features described, a

'dash-pot-mechanism clearly shown in Figures 3 and 4 and comprising acylinder 54 appropriately mounted on the side of the shell l6 of thesocket, this cylinder containing an axially arranged shaft 55 journaledthrough a bearing 53 on the tubular chain guide 39. Within the dash-potthe shaft carries a ratchet 51 and a vane or blade 58 which is formedwith a cylindrical portion 59 partially surrounding the ratchet butexposing a few teeth thereof with which cooperates a spring pawl 60carried by the vane, the arrangement being such that the vane may movefreely in one direction with respect to the shaft but must move with theshaft upon rotation thereof in the opposite direction. The dash-pot isintended to be filled with oil which will of course pass throughopenings 6| in the vane and thereby permit the vane to turn but at slowspeed. The shaft 55 carries a sprocket 62 which is located within a cutaway portion 63 of the chain guide 39 and which is engaged by the beadsof the chain so that when the chain is pulled the sprocket and shaft 55will be rotated.

It will be seen that in the operation when the chain is pulled in theusual manner to turn on the light, the shaft 55 rotates freely withrespect to the pawl 60 and vane 58 which consequently remainsstationary; Pulling on the chain partially rotates the actuating disk 33and channel 34 as well as the ratchet disk 42 and the teeth 45 of thelatter cooperating with the teeth 45 of the connecting member 41 willrotate the member 41 a quarter turn and bring the contact shoes 5| fromthe 'off position on the dead" steps 21 so that the shoes 50 will snapover onto the contacts 29, thereby completing the circuit to the lamp.When the chain is released the member 33 carrying the ratchet disk 42returns under the influence of the spring 45 to its'original position.However, the movement is slow owing to the fact that the reverserotation of the sprocket 52 and shaft 55 will cause the shaft to lockwith the spring pawl 50 and cause rotation of the vane 58, rotation ofwhich is impeded owing to the necessity of the oil flowing-through theopenings 5| as the vane turns. However, nothing else happens. When it isdesired to extinguish the light, the operator again pulls upon thechain, the shaftagain riding idly under the spring pawl 50 so that thevane 58 and the spring remain stationary. This second pull upon thechain causes a partial rotation of the actuating disk 33 and ratchetdisk 42 so that the teeth 45 of the latter coacting with the teeth 48will cause the connecting member 41 to have another quarter turnwhereupon the shoes 50 will ride off from the major portions of thecontacts 29 onto the ledges 30 where they will remain until the arm 5|is brought into play. When the pull upon the chain is released, thetorsion spring 42 tends to return the disk 33 to its original positionbut this movement is retarded owing to the fact that the reverserotation of the sprocket 62 and shaft 55 will cause the ratchet 51 tolock with the pawl 60 so that the vane 58 will be rotated slowly as theoil within the dashpot must pass through the openings 5|. When themember 33 and channel 34 have almost reached the limit of the reversemovement, the free end of the U-shaped member 35 and the end of thechannel will engage against the outer end of the arm 5| and rock orpartially rotate the same upon its pivot post 52 so that the inner endof this arm 5| will engage against the trailing end of one of the shoes50 and move it off from the ledge 30 so that the connecting member 41will be moved the necessary amount to cause the contact shoes 50 tospring down onto the dead steps 21. This delayed action of cutting offthe switch will result in leaving the light energized for a certainlength of time which will be sufficient for the user of the switch toleave the room where the light is located and make his way to some otherroom without it being necessary for him to grope about in darkness.

The invention is susceptible of employment in connection with orconstruction as a wall switch as indicated in Figures 14 and 15 and insuch an instance the construction is identically the same except thatthe outer or free end of the pull chain is secured, as by a hook 64 tothe sprocket. Moreover in this instance the shaft 55 carries a lever 65projecting through a slot 66 in a face plate 61 secured to a wall. Themechanical construction in other respects is identically the same, theonly difference being that there is no socket associated with the switchmechanism which is represented as supported between top and bottomdielectric members 68 and 69 corresponding to the above describedmembers 25 and 24 respectively, these members 68 and 59 being eitherhoused or mounted between supporting brackets 10 secured to the rearside of the face plate 51. The operation of this form is identically thesame as above described except that instead of pulling the chain torotate the shaft 55 the shaft is rothe additional parts needed to carryout the specific operation desired, the mechanical construction in mostrespects following the common practice. It is believed that theconstruction, operation and advantages should be understood from theabove without further explanation.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of theinvention, it should be understood that the disclosure is merely an 20exemplification of the principles involved as the right is reserved tomake all such changes in the details of construction as will widen thefield of utility and increase the adaptability of the device providedsuch changes constitute no 25 departure from the spirit of the inventionor the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

Having thus described the invention, I claim: 1. In an electric switch,a stationary ratchet structure of dielectric material, spaced contacts30 mounted on opposite sides of said stationary ratchet, a metallicconnecting member rotatable with respect to said stationary ratchet andhaving shoes adapted to engage and bridge said contacts or to bedisposed between the same in 35 cut off position, teeth carried by saidconnecting member, a partially rotatable segmental actuating diskrotatable about the axis of said stationary ratchet, a ratchet diskcarried by said actuating disk and cooperating with said teeth forrotating said connecting member step by step, a pull chain connectedwith said actuating disk, at dash-pot containing a fluid, a shaftjournaled through said dash-pot and carrying a vane formed with openingsfor the passage of the fluid, a ratchet on said shaft within thedashpot, a pawl on the vane cooperating with said last named ratchet forpermitting relative rotation of the shaft and vane in one direction andfor locking the vane for movement with the shaft in the oppositedirection, and a sprocket on said shaft engaged by said chain to operatesaid shaft, said dash-pot and vane operating to delay return movement ofthe chain after it has been pulled.

2. In an electric switch, a stationary ratchet structure'oi dielectricmaterial, spaced contacts mounted on opposite sides of said stationaryratchet, a metallic connecting member rotatable with respect to saidstationary ratchet and having shoes adapted to engage and bridge saidcontacts or to be disposed between the same in cut off position, teethcarried by said connecting member, a. partially rotatable segmentalactuating disk rotatable about the axis of said stationary ratchet, aratchet disk carried by said actuating disk and cooperating with saidteeth for rotating said connecting member step by step, a pull chainconnected with said actuating disk, a dash-pot containing a fluid, ashaft journaled through said dash-pot and carrying a vane formed withopenings for the passage of the fluid, a ratchet on said shaft withinthe dash-pot, a pawl on the vane cooperating with said last namedratchet for permitting relative rotation of the shaft and vane in onedirection and for locking the vane for movement with the shaft in theopposite direction, a sprocket on said shaft engaged by said chain, saiddash-pot and vane operating to delay return movement of the chain afterit has been pulled, said contacts having ledges on which said shoes restwhen the chain is pulled to the off position, and means located in thepath of return movement of said actuating disk and engageable with saidshoes for forcing the same oif from said ledges to the "off" positionwhen the actuating disk returns to normal position.

3. An electric switch comprising a stationary ratchet of dielectricmaterial, metallic contacts located upon opposite sides of the ratchet,a

metallic connectingmember rotatable about the axis of said stationaryratchet and having contact shoes adapted selectively to bridge saidcontacts or to be disposed between them, a segmental actuating diskrotatable about the axis of said stationary ratchet and connectingmember and carrying ratchet means cooperating with said connectingmember for partially rotating the same step by step, combinedcompression and torsion spring means connected with said actuating diskfor urging the same longitudinally toward the stationary ratchet and forresisting rotation thereof in one direction, downwardly offset ledges onsaid contacts, a pull chain connected with said actuating disk forpartially rotating the same and moving said connecting member step bystep, a dash-pot operatively connected with said chain for delayingreturn movement thereof under the influence of said spring subsequent toa pull upon the chain, said shoes being engageable upon said ledges whenthe chain is pulled to move the switch to the 05 position, and a pivotedspring-pressed lever located in the path of said actuating disk uponreturn movement'thereof to normal position engageable with one of saidshoes for moving the connecting member ofl from both ledges into the"01? position.

4. In an electric switch embodying fixed and movable contacts andreciprocating actuating means operatively connected with the movablecontact and requiring both a forward and return movement to disengage itfrom the fixed contact, the combination of a fluid containing cylinder,a rotary vane mounted in said cylinder and retarded in its rotarymovement by the fluid, a shaft supporting said vane and operativelyconnected with said reciprocating actuating means, and a pawl andratchet connection between the vane and said shaft so that the shaft mayturn free of the vane in one direction of rotation but drives the vanewhen rotating in the other direction. a

5. In an electric switch embodying fixed and movable contacts andreciprocating actuating means operatively connected with the movablecontact and requiring both a forward and return movement to disengage itfrom the fixed contact, the combination of a fluid containing cylinder,a rotary vane mounted in said cylinder and retarded in its rotarymovement by the fluid, a shaft supporting said vane and opera tivelyconnected with the said reciprocating actuating means, and a pawl andratchet connection between the vane and said shaft so that the'shaft mayturn free of the vane in one direction of rotation but drives the vanewhen rotating in the other direction, the said actuating meanscomprising a chain and the shaft carrying a sprocket over which thechain is trained and between the teeth of which the links of the chainengage.

HOWARD HALLETT.

